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With the expansion of the smart home we are seeing an abundance of new technologies enter our lives. Residences equipped with lighting, heating, and electronic devices that can be controlled remotely are becoming the norm.
But for every device that is added to your home, more bandwidth is taken up. Bandwidth is the total amount of Internet data that can be delivered to your home, usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
So what would your Internet provider label as a device? A device anything that can connect to an Internet (wireless or wired) network. So the new lights that will change colour when you ask your Smart home, those are a device.
Obvious devices include cell phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Google Chromecast and Smart TVs.
Customers are now adding an abundance of smart devices to their home. This goes well beyond the Google Home and Amazon Alexa. We're seeing complimentary Wi-Fi enabled smart devices such as,
- Fridges
- Doorbells (some with facial recognition)
- Security cameras and systems
- Smart locks
- Thermostats
- Light bulbs
- Spotlights
- Power outlets
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
- Motion sensors
- Indoor Gardens
- Coffee tables
- Water detectors
- Garage door sensors
And this is just the beginning, more smart devices are entering the marketplace. The International Data Corporation is predicting that the global smart home market will grow by 26.9% in 2019, and is only expected to continue trending upwards. If that estimate is correct, 832.7 million smart home devices will ship throughout 2019.
It's amazing to think we can now purchase a 'smart plug' and remotely turn off a lamp at our home from anywhere.
However, these new technologies will affect your Internet services, as adding new
devices will put even more demand on the bandwidth from your modem or router. Additionally, because some smart devices may be placed away from your wireless modem or router - the signal can be significantly weakened (see our article here on getting the best Wi-Fi signal in your home).
Luckily, Internet providers are quickly adapting to provide products and services to support the smart home. At CityWest we have developed speeds up to 250Mbps and have launched the Wi-Fi enhancer to strengthen your wireless signal throughout your home. All to provide you with a better home experience. Click here to learn more.
For more information contact us today at 1-800-442-8664.